The document provides a leader's guide for a session on reducing a congregation's carbon footprint and engaging in social justice issues. It includes instructions for preparing materials, an outline of activities, and handouts. The session involves dividing into groups to discuss scripture passages in relation to environmental and social threats. Participants then read excerpts calling them to action and hope. They are asked to reflect on conversations with those different from themselves and pledge to further such dialog. The session closes with prayer, singing, and encouraging further engagement.

1. Session Four: Leader’s Guide
Preparation names of the organizations in the appropriate circle of the
newsprint diagram. Ask who from the congregation is
• Collect the following materials: newsprint diagram
involved with any of the organizations listed. Place a star
from previous sessions, markers, copies of “Session Four:
next to those.
Participant Material,” Bibles, United Methodist Hymnals,
Consider asking those named to write an article for
worship center from previous sessions.
the church newsletter, create a bulletin board, speak to a
• Check out the web site www.hopeandaction.org for
church gathering, or develop some other way to inform
additional stories and information that you may want to
the congregation about the work of the organization.
incorporate into the session.
1. Introduce the Theme 3. Reflect on the Pledges
Ask participants to read “Pledges” in the participant
Review the steps you developed in the previous
material. Ask them to recall their earliest memory of
session to reduce the congregational carbon footprint.
being in conversation with someone whose life experience
Report any progress that has been made, and continue
was dramatically different from their own. Encourage
with any planning that needs to occur.
participants to tell these memories, reflecting on the
Light the candle as you recall the symbolism of the
following questions:
Bible, the globe, and the candle on the worship center: to
• What did I learn from the experience?
orient our lives toward God’s holy vision, to practice
• In what ways was my life enriched?
social and environmental holiness, and to live and act
• Were there any long-term results of
in hope.
the conversation?
Divide into three groups and assign each group one
Then ask them to recall their most recent memory of
of the three interrelated threats. Ask participants to focus
being in conversation with someone whose life experience
on the assigned threat as they listen to Matthew 19:23-26.
was dramatically different. Encourage participants to tell
Then break into groups of three, so that each group
their stories, reflecting on the previous questions.
has one person who was focusing on each threat. Ask
Brainstorm a list of opportunities for participants
them to discuss the following questions:
to engage in dialogue with people who have different
• How do you think this scripture relates to the threat
life experience. These could be as simple as visiting a
you focused on?
restaurant frequented by immigrants and engaging in
• What word of hope do you find in the scripture?
conversation with the workers, to more formal things
Encourage participants to record their words of hope
such as enrolling in an interfaith dialogue experience.
in the appropriate circles on the newsprint diagram.
Encourage each person to select one thing that they will
Then sing together the first four stanzas of “We Utter
do in the next week.
Our Cry,” page 439 in The United Methodist Hymnal.
2. Read Segments of the Documents 4. Pray Together
Pray together the lament, “We Mourn a World of
Distribute copies of “Session Four: Participant
Inequality and Injustice,” printed in the participant
Material” and ask the group to silently read the sections
material followed by a time of silent prayer. Close by
titled “From the Letter.” and “From the Foundation
singing again the first four stanzas of “We Utter Our Cry”
Document.”
and praying this prayer:
Use the following questions as a springboard for fur-
May God’s grace purify our reason, strengthen our will,
ther discussion:
and guide our action. May the love of God, the peace of Christ,
• Where do these segments of the Letter and
and the power of the Holy Spirit be among you, everywhere and
Foundation Document intersect with your passions?
always, so that you may be a blessing to all creation and to all
• What do you want to learn more about?
the children of God, making peace, nurturing and practicing
Dividing back into the three previous groups, ask
hope, choosing life, and coming to life eternal. Amen.
each to identify existing organizations (local, national,
Encourage the group to explore the items in “Going
world) that are working to develop solutions to the
Further” during the next week.
assigned threat. As each group reports back, write the
God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action Session Four: Leader

2. Session Four: Participant Material
From the Pastoral Letter prayer vigils that include people from ten different
countries.
God is already visibly at work in people and groups
We feel the energy in thousands of ministries every
around the world. We rededicate ourselves to join these
day in our United Methodist connection. We are strength-
movements, the movements of the Spirit. Young people
ened and inspired by the Toberman Neighborhood House
are passionately raising funds to provide mosquito nets
in San Pedro, California, which provides services for gang
for their “siblings” thousands of miles away.
prevention and gang intervention, family counseling and
Dockworkers are refusing to off-load small weapons
mental health, child care, and community organizing. The
being smuggled to armed combatants in civil wars in
Toberman House is one of 100 national mission institu-
their continent. People of faith are demanding land
tions, founded by the women of the Methodist tradition
reform on behalf of landless farm workers. Children and
in 1903 and still supported by UMW Mission Giving.
young people have formed church-wide “green teams” to
Today, we are increasingly aware of the powerful role
transform our buildings and ministries into testimonies of
that young adults are playing to transform our societies
stewardship and sustainability. Ecumenical and interreli-
and to challenge our church to live out its commitments
gious partners persist in demanding the major nuclear
to social justice, creation care, and peace. For example,
powers to reduce their arsenals, step by verifiable step,
every year, young adult interns with the Micah Corps in
making a way to a more secure world totally disarmed of
the Nebraska Annual Conference immerse themselves in
nuclear weapons. God is already doing a new thing. With
social justice education, training, and advocacy on behalf
this Letter and the accompanying Foundation Document,
of the poor and marginalized in their state.
we rededicate ourselves to participate in God’s work, and
During the many listening and learning events that
we urge you all to rededicate yourselves as well.
informed the Pastoral Letter and Foundation Document,
participants did much more than articulate their concern
From the Foundation Document
about poverty and disease, environmental degradation,
Call to Hope and Action and weapons and violence. From ages ten to one hun-
John Wesley insisted, “The gospel of Christ knows of dred, they expressed their deep desire to do something
no religion, but social. No holiness but social holiness. about these problems and their great hope that change is
Faith working by love is the length and breadth and possible. These conversations raised awareness about
depth and height of Christian perfection.” (Preface to several things:
Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739, ¶ 5) Ours is not solely a
1. We must study, observe, learn from, and listen to one
private faith, but one that also orients us toward God and
another, especially to victims of these threats. Some of
the needs of our neighbor and world. At a time when
us are indeed aware of these problems, but less aware
people are cynical about religion, United Methodists must
of the interconnections, and even less aware of our
continue our rich heritage of “faith working by love” as
personal connections and complicity or the dramatic
an example of the church’s ability to make a positive
urgency in what is already happening in our communi-
difference in the world.
ties. We must listen with particular care to our young
The leaders and members of our denomination have
people, whose knowledge, consciousness, and impa-
a long tradition of speaking truth to power, naming
tience for action can be energizing and inspiring for
injustice and advocating for right relationships and equi-
us all.
table sharing among all God’s peoples. Today, United
Methodists protest racism and abuse directed toward 2. We can be re-energized and spiritually renewed by
illegal immigrants and challenge local and federal author- the examples from our own Wesleyan and United
ities to maintain a democracy open to all people. In Methodist heritage and experience. We belong to an
Arizona, Bishop Minerva Carcaño joins thousands in amazing denomination with transforming potential
protest, and in Texas, United Methodist Women and the already active and agile in thousands of ministry
Board of Church and Society organize interreligious settings including legislatures, parliaments, and
congresses.
Copyright © 2010 by the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church. Reproduced by permission.
God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action Session Four: Participant

3. 3. We need an ongoing word of hope as we follow Wesley We Mourn a World of Inequality and Injustice
out into the streets and communities to face uncomfort-
We see a world where some live opulently while
able and difficult things and connect with others work-
others barely survive; a world where the innocent suffer
ing for justice, peace, and the integrity of creation.
and the corrupt profit; a world where too many still find
4. “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). We their opportunities and freedom limited by skin color,
have immense hope, and it will grow as we study, act, gender, or birthplace. We know the boy who is caught in
and connect. the snare of drugs and violence and the girl who is raped
or forced into prostitution.
Pledges
3. We pledge to practice dialogue with those whose life expe -
rience differs dramatically from our own, and we pledge to prac -
tice prayerful self-examination. For example, in the Council
Going Further
of Bishops, the fifty active bishops in the United States are • The Web site www.hopeandaction.org has
committed to listening and learning with the nineteen other articles and stories that relate to the
active bishops in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Pastoral Letter.
Philippines. And the bishops representing the conferences • Read more about the Toberman
in the United States will prayerfully examine the fact that Neighborhood Center at www.toberman.org
their nation consumes more than its fair share of the • Read about the experiences of the Micah
world’s resources, generates the most waste, and pro- Corps at http://micah-corps.blogspot.com
duces the most weapons. • Read John Wesley’s sermon, “The Character
4. We pledge ourselves to make common cause with reli - of a Methodist.” It can be found at
gious leaders and people of goodwill worldwide who share these http://new.gbgmumc. org/umhistory/wesley
concerns. We will connect and collaborate with ecumenical
and interreligious partners and with community and
faith organizations so that we may strengthen our
common efforts.
Copyright © 2010 by the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church. Reproduced by permission.
God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action Session Four: Participant